Europe Snowparks - Rome Park Schmitten, Zel am See
Published in Onboard Magazine Issue 119, January 2011
Our search for the best shred spots in Europe continued as we visited the Rome Park in Zell am see. And despite the fact that the park is quite young (less than two years old) the dedicated crew have managed to create a little shredorado just a few hundred meters above the world-famous resort town.
Stefan Trenkwalder on the Jib Line, Photo: Danny Burrows
QUICK FACTS
The park’s focus is defi nitely on its many jib features, most of which can be linked into one long park lap. The kickers and the corner are small to medium-sized but always shaped to perfection. This allows for countless hours of fun and a smooth progression of your riding.
ROME PARK SCHMITTENHÖHE
The park was only established in early 2009, but it already has a crew of devoted locals. The dedicated on-hill team and their great shaping abilities aside, this is also due to its affi liation with and support from the infamous La Resistance snowboard shop in town. The park itself consists mainly of jib obstacles and a few small to medium sized kickers. It stretches over the entire length of the Hahnkopf T-bar lift, which is great for doing quick park laps. The small corner is good fun, too.
When we visited the Schmittenhöhe resort it had dumped a good 30 cm overnight, and the crew kept ogling the face of the Maurerkogel above the park, which apparently boasts top backcountry lines. Equally tempting is the Kettingalm chalet at the foot of the park, which offers great food and some reasonably priced accommodation.
RESORT
Schmittenhöhe (939-1,949m)
26 lifts, 77km slopes
1 snowpark (Rome Park Schmittenhöhe)
PARK SET-UP
KICKER
Kicker (5m table)
2 x funbox (6m table)
2 x funbox (4m table)
Corner (20m)
Kicker (10m table)
Kicker (14m table)
RAILS/BOXES
Stair setup
12m down-fl at-down rail
6m handrail
8m kink box
Down box
5m rainbow box
8m A-frame
C-box
6m butter box
Picnic tables
Jib barrel
Simon Pircher, Robert Ahm, Photo: Danny Burrows
GETTING THERE
CAR
From Vienna: Vienna B 227 – A1 – St. Pölten – Salzburg A 1/E 55 – Reichenhall A 8 – Steinpass B 312 – Unken – Zell am See B 311
From Munich: Munich A8 – Interchange Inntal A8 – Traunstein B 306 – Exit Siegsdorf – Steinpass B 312 – Unken – Zell am See B 311
TRAIN
From Vienna: Vienna – Linz – Salzburg – Bischofshofen – Zell am See
From Munich: Rosenheim – Wörgl – Kitzbühel – Zell am See
PLANE
Closest airports are Salzburg, Munich, Innsbruck
WEBSITES
www.schmitten.at
www.kettingalm.at
www.la-resistance.at
